TikTok’s Rising Role in PR: Why You Should Be Using It

We’ve all been there before. Those moments when we’re mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, and then spending the rest of our day with a song stuck in our head or a product that we’re now debating purchasing. I’m no exception to the TikTok phenomenon. In my case, I once fell down a hole of mesmerizing ASMR slime videos. I stayed there for weeks, even favoriting some of the videos with slime products I was considering purchasing simply because of how appealing the videos made them look.

I’ve stumbled upon videos that left me genuinely tempted to buy products I had never considered before. It’s a testament to the power of TikTok, and that is why the platform has become an indispensable tool for those in the PR field. TikTok has solidified itself as one of the largest social media platforms--but what exactly is it about the platform that’s turned it into the must-have asset that it is today?

Unmatched Reach and Engagement

In 2022, TikTok had approximately 755 million global users. By 2025, that number is expected to increase to 955 million. The platform has already surpassed the number of downloads of its competitors like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. Despite other platforms releasing updates that allow users to upload short videos in a similar manner (YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels for example), TikTok’s algorithm remains unmatched. Rather than emphasizing creator popularity, the algorithm focuses on content relevance. This means that any small brand or business has as much of a chance at getting significant views and engagement as any other big business, so long as the content resonates with the audience. 

A Space to Showcase Brand Personality

Some of the best brands on TikTok are those which showcase fun and interactive personalities. As a PR practitioner, it’s important to create a sense of engagement within your audience towards your brand. On TikTok, this translates into showcasing faces and not just products, interacting with followers through comments and infusing humor when appropriate. Embracing and leaning into current trends will let your audience view your brand as more than just a business. 

It’s great to create a mixture of product placement and entertainment on a platform like TikTok where users are willing to stop for anything that looks amusing. Let’s take EOS, the skincare brand, as an example. Earlier this year, bedazzling items became popular on TikTok. From cups to TV remotes, videos of bedazzled items gained millions of views combined. EOS took this as an opportunity and created a limited amount of bedazzled lip balms and posted about it on TikTok.

The result? A video that garnered 13.6 thousand views, compared to their previous post with only six thousand. 

Photo from @eos on TIkTok.

Embracing TikTok

TikTok is not just a platform for entertainment but a vital tool for modern PR. With its vast reach, unparalleled algorithm and ability to infuse personality into brands, the platform is a valuable asset to the PR industry. Whether you’re in pursuit of engagement, awareness or driving sales, TikTok is the platform where your PR strategies can really thrive.